1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lock, more particularly to an electrically operated lock with a latch mechanism, which can be operated manually or electrically.
2. Description of the related art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,365 discloses a lock which includes a latch mechanism with a dead bolt that is movable between a retracted and an advanced position, a spindle coacting with the latch mechanism and tumable to displace the dead bolt between the retracted and advanced positions, a pinion sleeved on the spindle a slider formed with a vertical slot for passage of the spindle therethrough and provided with upper and lower controlled faces and a vertical rack which cooperates with the pinion, a wheel gear provided with a finger that is turnable along with the wheel gear to engage the upper and lower controlled faces so as to move the slider upwardly and downwardly and so as to turn the spindle via engagement between the pinion and the vertical rack, and a motor connected to the wheel gear via a gear mechanism that includes a worm gear unit coupling the motor and the wheel gear.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electrically operated lock with a latch mechanism that can be operated manually or electrically. Instead of using the aforesaid pinion and rack assembly in the aforementioned patent, the lock of this invention uses a cam mechanism to perform the function of the latch mechanism.
According to the present invention, the electrically operated lock comprises: a latch mechanism with a dead bolt that is movable in a lateral direction between a retracted and an advanced position; a spindle defining an axial direction that is transverse to the lateral direction, coacting with the latch mechanism, and turnable to displace the dead bolt between the retracted and advanced positions; and an actuating unit including a swing member, a slider, a first cam mechanism, a wheel member, a second cam mechanism, and a motor. The swing member coacts with the spindle and is swingable along with rotation of the spindle. The slider coacts with the swing member and is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the lateral direction between a first and a second position. The first cam mechanism has a first cam member that is provided on the slider, and a first cam follower that is provided on the swing member and that cooperates with the first cam member for moving the slider between the first and second positions. The wheel member coacts with the slider. The second cam mechanism has a second cam member that is provided on the slider, and a second cam follower that is provided on the wheel member and that cooperates with the second cam member for moving the slider between the first and second positions. The motor coacts with the wheel member for turning the wheel member.